Guides for flexible conductors



Sept. 27, 1955 Filed July 9, 1948 lllllllx A. 1 BARRETT ET AL 2,719,033

GUID FOR FLEXIBLE CONDUCTORS 2 SheetS-Shef, l

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GUIDES FOR FLEXIBLE CONDUCTORS sept. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJuly 9, 1948 (Zwar/Mgg.

United StatCS Patf GUIDES ron FLEXIBLE coNDUcroRs t Arthur Lee Barrettand Samuel Leven, Franklin, Pa., as-

signors to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburghlva., acorporation ofPennsylvania Application July 9, 194s, serial No. 37,942

7 claims. (c1. 262-29)' copending application to Samuel'Leven, SerialNo. 19,698,

led April 8, 1948, now abandoned, owned by the same assignee as thepresent case, a mobile base adapted to travel over the oor of a mine hasa mine vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism swiveledv ythereon toswing horizontally into different vein-attacking positions with respectthereto, and the disintegrating mechanism has rectilinear sumping andwithdrawal movements 'in a generally radial direction and swingingmovement in vertical planes relative to its swivel mounting. Since theswiveled structure which supports the vein-attacking and disintegratingmechanism carries the electric motor for driving themechanism and thehead lights, and also supports several of the uid operated cylinder and'piston devices for feeding and adjusting the mechanism, together withthe dust allaying spray device, it' is necessary to extend the flexibleconductor elements, such as vthe electric cables, the light Wire, thewater hose, and the flexible fluid pipes, along the top or sides of theapparatus so that there is a possibility of the hose, cables,`wire andlexible pipes becoming entangled and engaged with parts of the apparatusduring the various adjustments ofl the vein-attacking and disintegratingmechanism so that damage of the hose, cables, wire and exible pipes mayoccur. The present invention contemplates improvements over thestructure of the apparatus of the application above referred to in thatan improved'guide is provided' for the exible conductor elements, suchas the hose, cables, wire and liexible pipes, whereby the possibility ofthe same becoming entangled and damaged is substantially eliminated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide.Another object is to providean improved guide for the tiexible conductorelements, such as the water hose, electric conductor cables and wire,and exible fluid pipes of a coal mining apparatus, whereby thepossibility of entanglement and damage of the hose, cables, wire andpipes is substantially avoided. Yet another object is to provide animproved guide for the ex ible power conductor elements of aminingvapparatus wherein the conductor elements are guided in a'novelmanner during the various adjustments of the vein-attacking anddisintegrating mechanism of the apparatus. 'A further object is toprovide an improvedguide for the exible conductor elements of a miningapparatus wherein the guide is arranged and mounted in a novel manner. Astill further object is to provide an improved `guide for the llexiblepower conductor elements of a coal mining apparatus of the type whereinseveral of the motors of the apparatus are swingable horizontally andmovable rectilinearly with respect to the base wherebylthe powerconductor elements are adequately guided during the various adjustments.Another object is to provide an imice proved guide for a power conductorelement wherein the latter is arranged with a portion coiled within theguide so that when one end of the power conductor element is extended orretracted, the coil is contracted or expanded in a-novel manner Withinthe guide. Still another object t is to provide an improved powerconductor guide for'a coal mining apparatus of the kind wherein the coalattacking and disintegrating mechanism is mounted on a base to swinghorizontally'with respect thereto and to move rectilinearly relativetothe base, with the power conductor guide so mounted and arrangedthat thepower conductor elements which extend from the rearward portion of thebase to the motor of the mechanism has its intermediate portion guidedWithin the guide in a novel manner. Another object is to provide animproved guide for the flexible conductor elements of a coal miningapparatus of the character above referred to wherein the guide ismounted to swing horizontally and move rectilinearly with thevein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism. These and other objects andadvantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fullyappear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a coal mining apparatus with whichan illustrative form of the improved guide is associated.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the mining apparatus and guideshown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig.1, illustrating details of the improved guide.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially online 4 4 of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of the improved guide.V

l Fig.l 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the coal miningapparatus, showing the position of the guide during a lateralvein-attacking and disintegragting opera tion, with the vein-attackingand disintegrating mechanism in its rectilinearly extended position.

As shown in the drawings, the improved guide, generally designated 1, isassociated with a coal mining apparatus generally designated Z'of thetype disclosed in the copending application to Samuel Leven, Serial No.19,698, above referred to, which is known as a continuous miner.Evidently, the invention, at least from certain aspects, may beassociated with other types of min-y ing apparatus and may be used forother purposes.

The coal mining apparatus 2 generally comprises a mobile base 3, adaptedto travel over the floor of a mine and having a frame 4 which hasswiveled thereon, at 5, ahorizontal supporting frame or turntable 6 toswing about an upright axis in horizontal planes with respect thereto.Guided on the swiveled frame or turntable 6 for movement rectilinearlyrelative thereto in a radial direction with respect to the swivel axisSis a sliding frame lor support 7 on which a swinging frame 8 ispivotally mounted at 9 to swivel in vertical planes with respect theretoand to swing horizontally with the swiveled frame or turntable 6relative to the base. The vertically swingable frame 8 extends forwardlyin advance of the base and carries a mineral vein or coal seam attackingand distintegrating mechanism, generally designated 10, for detachingand disintegrating the mineral or coal in vertical segments from thesolid. The vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 10 comprises aseries of parallel endless chains 11 guided for orbital movement inguideways 12 on the swinging frame 8. These endless chains comprise aseries of chain blocks 13 pivotally connected 3 by. strap links 14, andeach block has a lateral lug for, receiving a vein-attacking anddisintegrating instrument 16. A motor 17, herein preferably an electricmotor, carried by the sliding frame 7, serves to drive the endlesschainsll" of. the vein-attacking anddisintegr-ating` mechanism-.103 in amanner fully disclosediin the copending applicationy mentioned above.Eluid operated cylinder and piston: devices. 18, also.mounted onthe-sliding frame 7, have their. pistonrods 1i91pivotallyl connected'atto depending brackets 21 secured to` the swinging frame 8, andl thesecylinder andpiston devices serve to swing the vein-attackingandfdisintegrating.mechanism 10 in vertical planesabout the horizontalpivot. 9. A pair of horizontal. fluid operated? cylinder and pistondevices 22, shown in dottedf lines in Fig; l, arel arrangedlongitudinally'beneathf the sliding frame 7 andi are connectedv betweenthe swiveledi frame and the sliding frame for moving thevein-attackingfandi disintegrating mechanism 10 rectilinearlyrelative tothe swinging frame in a directionradially with'. respect. to the swivelyaxisS. Mounted' on the side ofthe swinging frameofthemechanism 10 is asprayv head23 throughwhichwater is discharged for allaying the dustcreated by the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism. during itsoperation. An electric conductor cable 24 leads froma suitablesource-ofl elec-V tricity to the rear end of the apparatus and extendsinto.

an electrical control apparatus 25' mounted' onV the rearward portionofthe base, and extendingfromthisfelectric control apparatus through asuitable starting switch device 26 are three exible electric conductorfcables 27 which lead to theelectric motor 1.7.- which drives theveinattacking and disintegrating mechanism. Also extending from therearward portion of the base isa exible water hose 28 leading to-thesprayy head'23, andaflexible fluid pipe 29 leads froma valveboxf30.tothe.uidfoperated cylinder and-piston devices 18. An-electricwire 31 also leads from, the rearwardportion of the base throughsuitable connections to head lights 32 arranged, in a suitable manner,at opposite sides of the dis-integrating mechanism 10, as shown inlFig.- 1. While there are shown herein awater hose, three electricconductor cables,

a light wire, and a flexible fluid pipe, it will be understood that theterm conductor element is intendedto include all such hose, cables,wire, pipes or other exible conduits. There are six conductor elementsshown, but it is not intended to limit the inventionto any particularnumber of such elements, andinsofaras the invention is concerned, oneconductor element, or other ilexible elements to be guided, will suice.

Now referring to the improved guide 1' for the conductor elements, itwill, be noted that mounted on the swiveled frame 6 at the top of themotor 17 is a horizontal guide frame 35 comprising a horizontal bottomplate 36' and a horizontal top plate 37. The bottom plate 36 is spaced aslighty distance above the top of the motor to provide space for thecooling coils for the motor andito which the water pipe is connected, asfully described'in the above mentioned copending application. Secured,as by welding, to the bottom plate 36, are vertical side plates 38-which, in turn, have secured to their inner sides, likewise as bywelding, suitable angle members 39. The top plate 37 is desirablysecured, as by screws 40, to the angle members 39 and may be readilyremoved when desired. Secured to the side plates 38 are vertical frontbrackets 41 which are secured, as by screws 42, tothe sides of theforward portion of the motor 17. Vertical rear brackets 43, secured tothe bottom of the rearward portion of the bottom plate 36, are secured,as by screws 44, to the sides of the rearward portion of the motor 17.The top and bottom plates and the side platesy provide a horizontal,longitudinal guide. passageway 45, and the rearward ends of the top andbottom plates. are curved at 46 and the side plates are laterally curvedat 47 to provide a rearward` widened, bell-mouthed opening48; Theexibleconductor elements27, 28, 2 9 and 3.1- extend from Cil therearward portion of the base through the guide opening50, of a suitablestationary guide member 51 secured by a lateral bracket 52 to the top ofthe control apparatus 25, and these conductor elements, as they extendfrom the guide member 51 through the passageway 45 in the guide, aresecured together as at 53 and 54 as by clips, adhesive tape orotherwise, and these conductor elements are bound together in the formof a unit and at their intermediate portions are coiled at 55 within theguide passageway. The conductor elements extend forwardly throughl thenarrow, parallel-sided, front end 56 of the guide to the motor 17, thecylinder and piston devices 18, the spray head 23, and the head lights32. The flexible fluid pipesforthe cylinder and piston devices 22 extendfrom the valve box 30 beneath the motor, and since they do not enterinto the present invention, they are not shown herein. Under certainconditions, the water hose for the spray head may be extended below themotor instead of passing through they guide..

The mining apparatus, as.fully described in the copending application,Serial; No. 19,698, above referred to, is propelled by the mobile baseto the face of a mineral vein or coal seam, and' uid under pressure maybe supplied to suitable swinging devices arranged within the base, inthe mannerI described in the copending application, to swing the frame 6together withzthe vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism, 10horizontally into the desired vein-attacking position relative to thebase. When the vein-attackingl andi disintegrating mechanism 10 issuitably positioned withI respect to the working face, the cylinder andpiston4 devices 18=may be operated to lower the outer tipend-of thevein-attackingand disintegrating mechanism to. the oor level, and thenHuid under pressure may be supplied to-thecylinder and piston devices 22to feed the vein-attackingganddisintegratingfmechansim outwardly in arectilinear directionfto sump the latter within the mineral` or coal.Whenithe sumping operation is completed, fluid under pressure may besupplied to the cylinder and piston devices 18 to swingthevein-attackingand disintegrating mechanism-,upwardly with a rapid and powerful forcetoward the mine roof to disintegrate the mineral or coal. from thesolid; When the outer tip end of the veinattacking and disintegratingmechanism has reached the roof level, the mechanism may be retracted bythe cylinder and piston devices-22; By.. swinging the vein-attacking anddisintegratingmechanism about the vertical swivel 5 with respect to thebaseit may be located in different radial positions-relative to the baseto attack and disintegrate the mineral vein or coal seam in a series ofvertical segments of theworking face so that the entire width of theworking face maybe disintegrated in successive steps. As thevein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism is adjustedy horizontally,is. swung; in vertical planes, and is moved rectilinearly, the conductorelements 27, 28, 29 and 313 are extendedfandretracted. withl thevein-attacking anddisintegrating mechanism, and when the latter is movedoutwardly, the c oil. portions 55 are contracted within the. guidepassageway 45, and when the vein-attacking and disintegrating-mechanismis retracted, the coilportions 55 are expanded within the,v guidepassageway. The rearward bell-mouth 48 ofthe guide permits swinging ofthe veinattacking and disintegrating mechanism into different horizontalpositions, `as shown in Fig. 6, while providing adequate guiding of theconductor elements. It will thus be evident that as th'e vein-attackingand disintegrating mechanism 10-isy adjusted into its differentoperating positions and is moved during'its operation, the conductorelements are adequately guided within the guide passageway between thebottom and'top plates 36 and 37, and the coiled portions ofthe conductorelements may move laterally within the guide passageway as well as in anendwise directionwith respect thereto during contraction and expansionthereof,

As a resulty of.thisinyentionan'improved coal mining apparatus. isprovided having an improved guide for the flexible conductor elementsthereof whereby entanglement and possible damage to the conductorelements is substantially avoided. It will further be evident that bythe provision of the improved guide arranged and mounted in the mannerdisclosed, the flexible conductor elements of the apparatus areadequately guided during the various positions of adjustment of thevein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism. By arranging theintermediate portions of the flexible conductor elements in the form ofa coil within the guide passageway of the guide, the coil is contractedand expanded while being adequately guided, during rectilinear sumpingand withdrawal movements of the vein-attacking and disintegratingmechanism. It will further be evident that the improved guide is of anextremely simple and rugged construction which may be readily applied toa conventional coal mining apparatus with a minimum of change. These andother advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

While there is in this application specically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modied and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a base, a frame movably mounted on said base andcarrying a mechanism including a driving motor and movable bodilyhorizontally back and forth with said frame relative to said base, aflexible power conductor leading from said base to said mechanism andhaving a slack intermediate portion which permits horizontal movement ofsaid mechanism relative to said base without the possibility of theconductor becoming unduly taut, and a horizontal guide mounted on saidmotor at the top thereof and having guide portions providing apassageway through which the intermediate portion of said flexibleconductor passes for supporting and guiding said intermediate portion ofsaid conductor.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide passagewayis in the form of a relatively wide horizontal chamber extending acrossthe top of said motor and said intermediate portion of said flexibleconductor has a free flexing coil lying on the chamber bottom withinsaid chamber and adapted to ex as said mechanism and said motor movebodily horizontally relative to said base.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame is alsopivoted to swing horizontally relative to said base so that saidmechanism and said motor may swing horizontally therewith as well as tomove bodily as aforesaid, and said guide passageway has a wide bellmouthat its rearward portion and said passageway is laterally widened topermit horizontal swinging of said mechanism and said motor relative tosaid base while adequately supporting and guiding said intermediateportion of said exible conductor.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said guide isrelatively low and at and is disposed horizontally close to the top ofsaid motor and provides a relatively wide guideway to receive a freeflexing coil of said flexible conductor so that as said mechanism andsaid motor swing horizontally as well as to move bodily as aforesaidrelative to said base, the intermediate portion of said flexibleconductor is adequately supported and guided.

5. In combination, a base, a frame mounted on said base to movehorizontally longitudinally relative thereto, a mechanism including amotor carried by said movable frame and movable bodily horizontallytherewith relative to said base, a exible power conductor leading fromsaid base to said mechanism for supplying motive power to said motor andhaving a slack intermediate portion which permits such horizontalmovement of said mechanism and said motor with said frame with respectto said base without the possibility of the conductor becoming undulytaut, and a horizontal guide carried by said motor at the top thereofand having guiding portions providing a low height horizontal chamberthrough which said conductor passes with a free llexing portion of saidconductor lying in said chamber on the chamber bottom and movablerelative to said chamber with said conductor portion flexing freely insaid chamber as said motor moves bodily horizontally as aforesaid backand forth with said frame.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said frame is alsomounted on said base to swing horizontally relative thereto with saidmechanism and said motor swinging horizontally therewith, and saidhorizontal guide on the top of said motor has a wide bell-mouth at itsrearward portion whereby the rear side of said chamber is laterallywidened to permit horizontal swinging of said mechanism and said motorrelative to said base as well as to move bodily horizontally asaforesaid while said intermediate portion of said flexible conductor isadequately supported and guided.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said horizontal guideextends substantially the full width of said motor and said iiexibleconductor has a free flexing coil in its intermediate portion and saidhorizontal guide has its chamber bottom supporting said coil to permitthe coil freely to expand and contract within said guide as said motormoves bodily horizontally along a straight path forwardly and rearwardlywith said frame relative to said base.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,285,254 Levin Nov. 19, 1918 1,480,003 Morgan Jan. 8, 1924 2,115,641Levin Apr. 26, 1938 2,121,916 Jacobsen June 28, 1938 2,194,474 Joy Mar.26, 1940 2,323,493 Sloane July 6, 1943 2,422,353 Hitt June 17, 1947OTHER REFERENCES Bureau of Mines, R. I. 3843, November 1949, pp. 1l, 12and Fig. 14.

